Caruso's 34 saves not enough in Titans' loss to Elmira

TRENTON — Adorned in a mustard yellow jersey, Dave Caruso manned the net for the Titans yesterday afternoon after his return from AHL outpost Charlotte.

Along with Randy Rowe’s donning of the color Saturday, Caruso wore the jersey to represent that if the ECHL had an all-star game he would have been in it. But he has been on a roller-coaster ride the past several weeks. Caruso has been called up and sent back three times this year. Even with that uncertainty, his play has steadily improved and, when present, he has been a steady influence in net.

“I like the idea, but I don’t like the color,” Caruso said with a smile. “It’s kind of putting us on a pedestal, and you stand out. I don’t want to stand out, I just want to be the goalie.”

That said, Caruso can’t score, and the Titans who were down 11 shots after two periods, lost a tough one to Elmira 3-1 at the Sun National Bank Center. Caruso stopped 34 shots, but it was the two that Jackals forward Artem Demkov slipped by him that made the difference.

The Titans (19-29-8) managed just 23 shots against Elmira (33-20-4).

“(Demkov) just missed it,” Caruso said of the first goal. “I was expecting something really fast, and he flubbed it. That happens, it’s just frustrating.

“I really didn’t get comfortable today with my rebounds until the third period but I made some good saves, especially in the first. It’s what you have to deal with. It’s good to go up (to Charlotte) and see the game and get the feel for the speed up there. But it’s tough, too, and it’s something that’s part of the game.”

The Titans’ offense failed to get any consistency in Elmira’s end of the ice and, in fact, even Tyler Hostetter’s second-period goal wasn’t as much an offensive push as a fortuitous break.

“Our defense was great tonight,” head coach Vince Williams said. “Our “D” really worked hard. It was a one-goal hockey game (until the Jackals’ empty-net goal in the final minute), but you have to give Elmira credit. They came out hard today after last night and they really played a great game.”

Down 1-0, Hostetter tied it. Off a failed clear, he released a slap shot that beat Elmira goalie Timo Pielmeir through the five-hole.

Even the Titans’ power play, currently ranked sixth in the ECHL, was anemic on the afternoon, failing to score on four opportunities in which they managed just four shots. That included a 5-on-3 in the opening period.

“You loook at who played the best today for us,” Williams concluded. “We have a few veterans, who understand what it takes in these Sunday matinee games in back-to-backs. Ray Dilauro and Caruso are two that played really well. and they’ve done this before.

“We still have a lot of young guys that need to learn how to play back-to-back. Against a veteran team like Elmira, you can see the difference.”